The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 200

The Cost of Envy.

“So, let me get this straight,” Nathaniel said, sipping his wine. He and Silas were front-row spectators to the evening’s performance outside Fort Calder Military Correctional Facility. “Your grandma died young, and so your grandfather, Samuel, got into a relationship with Melvin’s mother?”

“And your dad was okay with it?” Nathaniel asked.

Before Silas could answer, a scream of horror filled the air.

“Nathaniel, you asshole! I’m going to get—Ahhhh!” Victor’s scream echoed in the night.

He was falling from a forty-foot-high structure outside the prison.

After Silas saw Victor bouncing on the inflatable safety cushion, his eyes narrowed in satisfaction. He responded, “Look, Nathan, the information about Melvin not being my real uncle came as a shock to me too.”

Silas relaxed in his seat. He sighed and further explained, “My dad was still young back then. He didn’t see it as someone trying to take over their lives. Dad and Melvin truly had a good relationship. I never saw anything amiss.”

Nathaniel ordered a soldier to get them another bottle of wine. He said, “It’s a shame. Maybe if Sterling had noticed, Serena would not have been kidnapped.”

Silas was quiet at first. Then he answered, “We don’t really know. Melvin may have asked Victor to kidnap Serena, but Victor was still competing with my dad during the expo years ago. Victor could still have done something else to sabotage my father’s entry.”

Then there was a long silence.

“If Serena hadn’t been kidnapped, you would not have met her,” Silas made a point. "Could you live with that fact?"

Nathaniel gulped.

“That doesn’t relieve me one bit,” Nathaniel said, pouring more wine into Silas’ glass. “I still can’t accept that she had to go through that.”

“Of course,” Silas agreed, his jaw tightening. He motioned to where Victor was. “That’s why we are doing this, to make things even.”

“Enough! Enough! Just kill me, Nathan! Just kill me!” Victor cried out in the distance.

“Who does he think he is?” Silas hissed. “Dying would be an easy way out.”

“Again!” This time, it was Silas who ordered the military guards.

“Vanessa is going next?” Silas asked.

Nathaniel nodded. “Yes, five rounds for her. She’ll piss in her pants again.”

“Fuck,” Silas cussed. “She shit in her pants the last time.”

Yes, Nathaniel wasn’t finished with Victor and Vanessa.

He never was.

He wasn’t doing this for amusement.

He was doing it so they would understand.

He had allowed them to rest while he dealt with Melvin. Now that Melvin was behind bars, it was time for Victor to relive what Serena had endured — the helplessness, the loss of control, the fear of falling with no certainty of survival.

Nathaniel took photos and short videos. He sent them to Serena.

Serena replied: [Good job. Be home by tomorrow.]

Nathaniel knew Serena would never say it aloud, but there was relief in her message.

Everyone who had hurt her was now paying the price.

He typed back: [Would you like Melvin to try?]

There was no hatred in her voice, just exhaustion and distance.

Then she walked away.

She didn’t look back.

The cell felt colder after that.

The truth remained in his trembling hands.

He was lucky to have been given the name of a Vander.

Sterling himself allowed it so he could keep his pride.

If only he had been satisfied with what he had, none of this would have ever happened.

He would still be a billionaire, experiencing luxuries in life and… he would have a great family — not just his own, but a brother, a sister-in-law, and grandkids.

But no, he had to let his envy take over.

And now, Melvin had nothing left in him but regret.

Instead of walking back to his prison cell with Victor, Melvin purposely fought with the prison guard.

He realized solitary confinement felt more peaceful… and there, he cried his heart out.

“Why?”

“Why?”